Ball State Dorms Ranked

Your dorm will become your new home for the school year. so it’s important to know about each Ball State dorm. Many of Ball State’s dorms feature Living-Learning Communities. The Living -earning Communities group similar majors into the same dorm and have specific programming targeted towards a field of study. This can make it easy to make new friends. Here’s a ranked list of Ball State dorms. 

10. LaFollette Complex

Memories surround LaFollette Complex, the largest residence hall at Ball State University. Before it was partially demolished it held close to two thousand students.  Lafollete is home to the STEM Living- Learning Community and the Business Living- Learning Community. This dorm typically fills up with freshmen, because it is so large. It is the last pick of many of the dorms, because its lack of amenities.  There is no air conditioning and the heat can be sweltering. On warm days, residents typically open up their doors in hopes of a cool breeze. The elevators in LaFollette only go to the first and sixth floor, which does help keep away the freshman 15. The elevators are often known to malfunction and are out of service sometimes. The bathrooms are community style with showers that are reminiscent of a bad 80s high school movie. Many of the other dorms that have community style bathrooms, have stalls for the showers, but not LaFollette.  This is awesome for people that like to let it all hang out, but if you’re modest then finding the perfect time to shower alone can be a grueling task. LaFollette is a convenient place to live for the dining options though. There is even a buffet. LaFollette has only double rooms. 

9. Woodworth Complex

Woodworth may be a popular option for food, but the dorm is not comparable. Like Lafollette, Woodworth is not air conditioned and has community style bathrooms. Woodworth’s showers are stalls unlike Lafollette. The Woodworth is much less dense than Lafollette, so a simple box fan can help alleviate the heat. Woodworth can hold about 600 hundred students and it has four floors. Woodworth originally started out as an all-female dorm, but has became co-ed. Men live on the first floor and the other three floors are all women. The Nursing, Health Professionals, and Kinesiology Living-Learning Communities occupy this dorm. The furniture can be stacked to create more space. Woodworth has single rooms and double rooms.  

8. Noyer

Noyer is split into two different sections. Baker/ Klipple is significantly nicer than Howick/Williams. Baker/Klipple has air conditioning and semi-private bathrooms, while Howick/Williams does not. Noyer also has a dining hall on campus. Noyer has a convenient proximity to many of the buildings where classes are held. Baker/Klipple is the most handicap accessible hall at Ball State. The Human Services Living-Learning Community lives in Howick-Williams. Baker/ Klipple has some single rooms, while  Howick/Williams is all double rooms. 

7. Elliot Hall

Elliot Hall looks like castle and has beautiful decor. It is the oldest of all of the dorms. It looks like it came straight out of a book. Elliot has the best exterior and interior out of any of the dorms. The first floor of Elliot Hall is reserved for people over twenty one. No other dorm has that feature. The bathrooms are all community style and there is no air conditioning. Elliot is near the Student Center and an buffet, so there are a variety of food options. The student center has Taco Bell and a Starbucks. Elliot is the smallest of the dorms, so it has more of a tight knit feel than some of the other larger dorms. Residents of Elliot Hall rave about it, but many other students don’t know much about it. There are rumors it is haunted. Elliot has double rooms. 

6. Studebaker East

Studebaker East is air conditioned and has community style bathrooms. It is similar to Studebaker West, except it does have any dining options located inside. The Humanities Living-Learning Community resides at Studebaker East. Before Studebaker East was renovated, it was considered similar to Lafollette except without all of the dining options. Studebaker East only has double rooms. 

5. Studebaker West

Studebaker West is air conditioned, which brings it above some of the other dorms. The bathrooms are community style. The elevator at Studebaker West goes to all nine floors and is fully functional. There isn’t anything particularly special about this dorm, but it is definitely one of the better dorms to live in.  Painter/Whitcraft is where the Social Sciences Learning Living Community is located and Palmer/Davidson is for the Education Learning Living Community. Studebaker West has a small convenient store located downstairs, which has limited hours. The convenient store works in a pinch during busy mornings. Noyer is also nearby. The furniture is stackable. The fitness room at Studebaker West has televisions embedded into the treadmills, which takes it a step above some of the other fitness rooms. Studebaker West has single rooms, double rooms, and triple rooms. 

4. Dehority

Dehority is air-conditioned with semi-private bathrooms. It houses the Honors Learning-Living Community and is somewhat close to the Honors College. Unlike the other dorms so far on this list, Dehority has group suites. Dehority also has single, double, and triple rooms. Dehority does not have any dining options downstairs. Noyer and Woodworth are the closest food options. 

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3. Park Hall

Park has air-conditioning and semi-private bathrooms. Park is one of the most popular of all of the Ball State dorms. It’s easy to see why. Park does not have a dorm feel. It has more of a hotel vibe. During freshmen orientation, it is typically where parents stay. Park offers single, double rooms, and studios. Park Hall doesn’t have any food options inside, but it is close to Noyer and Woodworth. 

2. Kinghorn

Kinghorn has air-conditioning and semi-private bathrooms. Kinghorn has a variety of rooms to choose fro such as: a single room, double room, a large double room, and a single room in a suite. This dorm has a small sandwich shop downstairs. 

1 . Johnson Complex

Johnson Complex has air-conditioning and semi-private bathrooms. The Theatre, Dance, and Design Living-Learning Community resides in the Schmidt/Wilson halls and the Communications and Emerging Media Living-Learning Community resides in Botsford/Swinford halls. This dorm was specifically designed for its Living-Learning Communities and the residents are immersed in their major. In the Schmidt/Wilson hall, there is a dance studio, design studio, and a black box theater. In the Schmidt/Wilson halls, there are media labs. Johnson Complex does not have a food option inside, but Lafollette is nearby. Johnson also has beautiful hardwood floors in each room. 

I hope this list has given insight into each of the Ball State dorms. What is your favorite dorm at Ball State? Let me know in the comments below.

Note: None of these images are mine. Most of them including the featured image are from: https://www.bsu.edu/campuslife/housing/residence-halls